Monster Dash!

As part of The Odyssey Trust’s ongoing support and fundraising efforts for Blake McCaughey, a special ‘Monster Dash’ will take place at the Belfast Giants’ Halloween-themed home game against the Cardiff Devils on Saturday 11 November.

From 5.30PM onwards, in the foyer and the bowl, Robert Fitzpatrick, chief executive officer of The Odyssey Trust and Paul McMahon, chief operating officer of The Odyssey Trust, will both be leading the 40-mile cycle using exercise bikes, alongside staff members of The Odyssey Trust. All money raised through game night collections and a dedicated GoFundMe page will be donated towards sending Blake and his family to Boston for the trip of a lifetime.

15-year-old Blake, who was born with two chromosome deletions and abnormal muscle fibres, lives with a rare genetic disorder – irreversible intestinal failure – which has led him to being designated nil by mouth, meaning that he is unable to consume any form of food, drink or medication via his mouth.

By the time he was 16 months old, Blake had been admitted to hospital on 33 occasions and battled pneumonia 19 times. In May 2017, Blake underwent successful open-heart surgery, where he received a donor heart valve. Despite recovering well, Blake's health declined again in 2019 as his gut and bowel stopped absorbing nutrients, and his heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature were functioning at a dangerously low level.

In December 2019, the gastroenterology team in Belfast moved Blake onto Total Parental Nutrition (TPN), which feeds directly into his heart via a Broviac line. Blake's TPN runs for 16 hours to ensure that his body remains hydrated, and he receives the calories, vitamins, and minerals required to keep his organs functioning.

Since December 2022, Blake has been at home and cannot sit upright for any length of time without his bowel obstructing, causing unimaginable pain. Because of this, Blake spends the vast majority of his days lying flat on his back.